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7 Times LUKE CAGE’s Claire Temple Proved She’s An Unsung Defender

BY The Screen Spy Team

Published 8 years ago

7 Times LUKE CAGE's Claire Temple Proved She's An Unsung Defender

By Marcus Daniels

Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) made her first appearance in Daredevil season one as the woman who pulled Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) out of a dumpster and saved his life using makeshift stitches. From there she had a brief stint as his first season love interest before moving on to Jessica Jones, where she helped patch up the feminist icon and angsty private detective (played by Kristen Ritter) before saving undiscovered hero Luke Cage (Mike Colter) from a gunshot wound to the head.

Now in the first installment of Luke Cage’s own series, Claire has left the world of the ER and Hell’s Kitchen behind to take up a place next to Harlem’s hero. In this cultural mecca of black identity, Claire helps Cage find answers, encourages him to accept his powers and even learns to accept her own constant run ins with this unlikely set of heroes.

Despite memorable performances in Daredevil and Jessica Jones, Marvel’s Luke Cage provided Temple fans with what are perhaps the character’s most dramatically compelling and stellar moments. Claire grows character wise like never before, proving that our favorite nurse’s knack for saving heroes on couches is more than an accident. She’s fully embedded in this world of heroes, and she may be one of its most important members yet.

From handling a purse snatcher to finally getting a superhero name, Claire Temple’s presence in the first season of Luke Cage illustrated that this fan favorite character has serious longevity in The Defenders universe. More importantly, she’s got all of the qualities of the heroes she saves, making her one of Netflix universe’s most pivotal, but unsung characters.

Here’s a list of seven things from Luke Cage season one that prove Claire Temple is the true fifth Defender of New York City.

She Runs Towards A Fight

We all know that Claire doesn’t take mess from anyone, but before this moment in episode five, “Just to Get a Rep,” we’ve mostly seen her deliver verbal smack downs. Despite the sting of her tongue (Remember that “stern talking to” Foggy walked in on Claire giving to a banged up gang member in Daredevil season two?), Claire has largely remained an all talk character.

In this episode, we open on Temple casually walking through the streets of Harlem before a man runs up on her from behind and snatches her purse. Claire’s apparently been a victim too many times in Hell’s Kitchen and like most of us she’s over it. We watch as she doesn’t miss a beat running after the man who robbed her, catching up to him before playing a short game of tug-of-war. Eventually she flings him to the ground and forcefully stomps him in broad daylight on a Harlem street.

The moment proves that the Claire Temple we’ve seen isn’t anyone’s damsel, and she sure as hell isn’t gonna let you make her one.

Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple | Photo © Netflix

Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple | Photo © Netflix

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